Poultry scratch grain-feeder.



J. H. CROWELL.

POULTRY SCRATCH GRAIN FEEDER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.1, 1911. RENEWED AUG. e, 1013.

1,105,885, Patented Aug.4,1914.

WITNESSES INVENTOR ATTY.

THE NORRIS PETERS CO, PHUTO-L'TIIO, WASHINGTON. D. C

JOHN H; CROW ELL, OF VINEYARD HAVEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

POULTRY SCRATCH GRAIN-FEEDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented A11g.4, 1914;

Application filed November 1, 1911, Serial No. 658,018. Renewed August 6, 1913. x Serial No. 783,615.1

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN GRowELL, a citizen of the a United States, residing at Vineyard Haven, in the county of Dukes and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Poultry Scratch Grain- Feeder, of which the following is a specification.

grain in all accessible directions, over a con-:

In practical poultry raising it hasbeen found to be the better and more advantageous practice in feedinggrain to the fowls to scatter it about on theiground so that the fowls will be compelled to run about and scratchfor their feed and thus get the exercise deemed necessary for them.

The purpose of my inventionis to provide an eflicient scratch grain feeder which the fowls can easily operate to scatter the stantlyvarying radius. I accomplish these ends by the new and novel construction, combination and arrangement 1 of parts hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of my invention, the grain hopper and its supporting legs being partly broken away, and certain other parts shown in section. Fig. 2 is an elevation of my grain scattering member. Fig. 3 is a plan view illustrating one mode of mounting the scattering device for oscillating movement in anydirection. Fig.4 is a sectional View illustrating. another mode of mounting the same.

Similar reference letters and numerals indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

In the drawings: A represents a grain container of any desired cross-section, and mounted at a: proper height from the ground on supporting standards B. The bottom of said container is inthe form of an inverted truncated c'one open at its quate size for the passage freelyithere through of the grain or other feed contained in the chamber A. Interposed between the upper peripheral surface of the sphere 3 and the opening in the smaller end of the gram container I fit a concavo-convex semispherical disk 4, also provided with oneor more perforations 4 arranged and adapted to be brought into coincidence with the perforationsifi in the sphere 3. Said disk 4: fits snugly into the smaller end opening and extends a distance theret-hrough into the container A, thus closing the opening, and furthermore, by reason of its spherical outline, serves to prevent lodgment of the gram upon it. One or more projections 4 d1sposed on the surface of the disk 4 serve to stir the grain as the disk is oscillated in any direction. p

The spherical globe 3 is provided with a diametrically extending sleeve X preferablyintegral with its lower side and, diametrically opposite said sleeve, is perforated to permit the insertion therethrough and through said sleeve X of an actuating rod 5 secured to the disk 4 and arranged to turn freely in said sleeve X and said perforation in the upper part of the globe, and adapted to serve as means both for turning said disk 4 axially uponsaid globe to bring into coincidence, or vary the coincidence of, the perforations in said disk and in said globe, as well as to oscillate. said disk and globe conjointly in any direction upon the gimbal support.

At the lower end of the rod 5 I secure a bait box 6. To the sleeveX I secure by a thumbscrew or otherwise a cone-shaped grain scatterer 7 arranged for oscillating movement in anydirection as actuated by said rod 5, and adapted to receive thegrain as it falls through the perforations 3 in the globe 3 and to scatter the grain over a considerable and constantly varying radius. It will be noted that as the cone :7 oscillates it will strike against the supporting standards B (of which only two are shown in the drawings) with the result that the grain will be prevented from sticking to the scatterereventhough the latter maybe wet or moist from exposure to the weather. A lever 8secured to the rod 5 at any convenient point thereon, and operating in and through a serrated slot or rack 7 in one side of said scatterer affords means for adjusting :the perforations 4 of the disk 4- relatively to the perforations 3 of the globe 3 and for maintaining such adjustment, and

for preventing undesired turning of the rod 5 in the globe 3 and its sleeve X. \Vhen 1 the lever 8 islooked in the rack 7 the disk- 4, globe 3, cone scatterer 7 and-grod 5 are actuated unitedly and oscillat-ively as the fowl 'pecks at the bait box 6 (:as it soon late or swing in any directionthe grain is scattered over the; ground, .not within. a fixed radius butin tan-ever varying one. I

In;Fi'g., 4 Ihave shown a modification, or

another form of my invention in 'whichI dispensefwith the gin'ibalEZ, and also with the perforations 3 in the lower, wall of the globe 3, and enlarge the bore ofth'e radially extending sleeve, as in X so that the. grain will fall, through it onto the scatterer 7., I alsoin such case modify the sleeve C, as in C soasto, form with the member 8 a'ball and socket joint. The construction other- I wise is the same as hereinbefore described,

and the mode of operation and efiiciency is the same as in the form of my invention first describedi 1 t I claim:

m 7 1. An automatic scratch grain. feeder for poultry comprising :a grain container vhavof it and said spherical member, antactuat I ing rod secured to said disknand extending ing an-opening in its base, a hollow spherical' member, provided with perforations .-,in its upper wall and with openings 'in its lower .wall,'-.and; mounted below said container opening for universal oscillatory movement, a concave-convex disk interposed between said opening and spherical'member and provided with perforations and arranged to close said containerj'openingand for rotary movement therein to vary the registration of its perforations withthose. in, a

said spherical member, and also arranged for united universal oscillatory movement tate said disk and also for oscillating movement in any direction for united universal :OSOlllEtlllOIl of sa1d dlskand tspherlcal member,--a bait-box earned on said rod,..agra1n scattering t member carried on said rod.

2. An automatic scratchgrain feeder for poultry comprising ,grainncontainer having-v a discharge openingflin its bot-tom, a cohcavo-convex gperforated disk arranged to enter and close saiddischarge ,open" ngand for oscillation therein in all direo ions, a

therefrom through said spherical member and arranged fortrotati ve"movement to rohollow membermounted below andtidcon:

tact with said diskprovided "with lperforations in its upper wall adapted to regist ter with saiddisk,perforationasaid disk aroscillation conj ointly with; saidhollow mem ber, meansfor independently rotating said disk, and means for 5 the united universal oscillation :of said dlSkiiLIld-h011QW' member- "ranged for rotation independently ofsaid hollow memberandtalso for united universal a ipoultfylscmttch'rgrain .feederuhaving a grain container provided with a dis:

charge opening in its base, a universally os-.

,cillative perforated disk closing and movable insaid opening, andauniversally oscil-- latl-ve perforated member registerlng twlth said disk and mounted below and supporting the latter for :universal oscillation, t'he combination" with said parts of an actuating rod secured to said disk, a conical grain scatterer carried on said member below. said and arranged for adjustable engagement with said serrated slot. v

i- GROWELL:

Witnesses: H V I i HENRY MARSH, J12, ARTHUR A. .RHonns.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for fiVe c'ents each-by addressing'the Commissioner ofl'atents,

' disk andprovided with a serrated slot injits side wall, and a levertcarried on said rod 

